2015 HealthTech Venture Network Conference Recap

The 2015 HealthTech Venture Network Conference (HTVNC) was an enormous success! On September 19, exhibitors, speakers, ELEVATE participants and attendees gathered in downtown Boston at the Marriot Copley Place for a memorable event. From the connected OR, to stem cell research, to a robot that helps make vaccinations less stressful for children, HTVNC was a reflection of health-tech’s enriching diversity.

A large group gathered on Friday night for HTVNC’s Conversations & Cocktails event at Champion’s Bar. The next morning, attendees met one another and milled around health-tech exhibits, talking with exhibitors about their technologies. SenseDriver Technologies exhibited their safe driving heads up display, SenseHUD, and received a warm reception. Attendees experienced the technology by interacting with the newly unveiled SenseHUD hardware and the Hudson app.

Several keynote speakers presented during the morning, followed by a time for questions and answers. Following keynotes, lunch was served and attendees conversed and browsed exhibits. The conference resumed in the afternoon with the ELEVATE competition, during which time six contestants pitched their companies to a panel of health-tech experts. All contestants received feedback on their pitches and exposure to health-tech investors. ELEVATE winners Chris Cabell of AppwoRx and Samantha Simmons of Curvative Orthopaedics both won first place, which includes a $1000 cash prize and $4,000 worth of consulting support around business development and marketing for their startups.

HTVNC’s Keynote Speakers

1. Dr. Kingsley R. ChinHarvard-Trained Orthopedic Surgeon

“KICVentures & The Health-Tech Landscape”

Dr. Chin described the growing market for health-tech and how the KICVentures’ ecosystem is poised to invest in disruptive healthcare technologies.

2. Aaron MillerWealth Management Advisor, Northwestern Mutual

“The Boom of HealthTech Investments”

Aaron Miller brought a wealth management perspective to the health-tech market, providing an analysis of recent trends and an outline for strategic investment.

3. Nick PowleyMIT-Trained Health-Tech Entrepreneur

“The Birth of CoCreateX”

Nick Powley spoke about the ingredients necessary for improving the climate for innovation in CoCreateX –a community devoted to supporting new entrepreneurs.

4. Dr. David Chang Johns Hopkins-Trained Neurosurgeon

“The Connected OR”

Dr. Chang presented the C-ray technology –a small, portable device that combines the X-Ray and drill components for surgeons to place pedicle screws in a faster, more accurate way.